I’ve not stopped thinking about this since I left The FA after more than a decade of working in elite sport.
The truth is, I still feel responsible for the teams I left behind. The phone calls haven’t stopped. Staff still reaching out. Still wanting to talk, to reflect, to grow. And I still want the best for them.
Because real leadership doesn’t stop when the job does.
In high-performance sport, ambition is expected.
But leadership? That’s something deeper. It’s not about the result. It’s about who you refuse to give up on.
At Winning Edge Leadership, we’re focused on working with managers, heads of football, and performance leaders to bring this philosophy to life.
Here are 5 things we help high performance sports leaders focus on:
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Know your people beyond the role
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Not just what they do but who they are, how they work, and what they need to thrive under pressure.
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- Be consistent, especially when it’s hard
- Great leaders show up with calm and clarity when the pressure rises on match day, in review rooms, and behind the scenes.
- Model the standard
- Culture is built by what you tolerate and what you live. We help leaders close the gap between values and behaviours.
- Give feedback that builds, not breaks
- Feedback only drives performance when there’s trust. We show leaders how to create that environment.
- Know when to push, and when to pause
- Elite leadership is knowing the moment: when to drive, when to listen, when to connect. That’s where growth happens.
Leadership in sport is a decision you make every day, especially when others are close to giving up on themselves.
At Winning Edge Leadership, we partner with ambitious leaders, teams, and clubs to create cultures where people feel seen, supported, and stretched to grow.
If you're building something bigger than just results, let’s connect.
#WinningEdgeLeadership #LeadershipInSport #HighPerformance #SimonSinek #CoachingDevelopment #PeopleFirst #EliteSport #TeamCulture
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